PROVO, Utah-In news released Tuesday evening, BYU head football coach Kalani Sitake was named to the 2020 Paul “Bear” Bryant Award Watch List.

This award, presented annually each January, recognizes the top head coach in FBS college football for contributions both on and off the field.

Sitake is one of just 24 coaches nationally to receive this distinction.

This is the only annual college football award to be presented after The College Football Playoffs is concluded.

The winner will be announced January 13, 2021 during a virtual awards ceremony benefiting the American Heart Association. The AHA has sponsored this award since 1986.

Sitake was deemed meritorious of this distinction by virtue of leading the Cougars to an 8-0 record thus far on the season headed into Saturday’s home game against North Alabama.

BYU has now started 8-0 four times in its history. The other years were 1979, 1984 and 2001.

Under Sitake (35-25, .583; 2016-present), the Cougars are the only FBS team to rank in the Top 10 nationally in scoring offense (No. 9, 45.3 points per game), scoring defense (No.6, 13.9 points per game), total offense (No. 8, 533.4 yards per game) and total defense (No. 6, 284.9 yards per game).

Other coaches on this watch list are as follows:

Indiana head coach Tom Allen

Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell

Coastal Carolina head coach Jamey Chadwell

Wisconsin head coach Paul Chryst

Oregon head coach Mario Cristobal

Ohio State head coach Ryan Day

Colorado head coach Karl Dorrell

Cincinnati head coach Luke Fickell

Texas A&M head coach Jimbo Fisher

Northwestern head coach Pat Fitzgerald

Oklahoma State head coach Mike Gundy

USC head coach Clay Helton

Texas head coach Tom Herman

Marshall head coach Doc Holliday

Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly

Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn

Florida head coach Dan Mullen

Nevada head coach Jay Norvell

Oklahoma head coach Lincoln Riley

Alabama head coach Nick Saban

Georgia head coach Kirby Smart

Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney